-
Satellites help rescuers save 207 people last year
Thanks to the international network of search and rescue satellites, more than 200 people in remote locations in the United States were saved last year
-
-
Predictive tools help police map crime before it happens
In recent years geographical information systems have becoming increasingly popular with law enforcement agencies, helping to predict crime hotspots, burglaries, and other incidents
-
-
Major shipping companies inadvertently aid smugglers
A new study on sea trafficking reveals that the large majority of ships involved in the illegal transfer of weapons, drugs, and banned missile or WMD equipment are owned by major shipping companies in the United States, Germany, and Greece
-
-
U.S. Navy’s railgun takes an important step forward
In the coming weeks the first industry railgun prototype launcher will be tested at a U.S. Navy facility in Virginia; the railgun launcher is a long-range weapon that fires projectiles using electricity instead of chemical propellants
-
-
ISC West goes hi-tech
This year Reed Exhibitions is going hi-tech for its ISC West security conference; the show’s organizers have developed a special mobile app and other technological changes to make this year’s show more convenient for attendees
-
-
FBI limits GPS tracking following Supreme Court case
Following the recent Supreme Court ruling that required law enforcement agencies to have a warrant before they could use GPS tracking devices on a suspect, the FBI has begun scaling back on its use of electronic surveillance
-
-
New handheld narcotics analyzer to help in war on drugs
The war on drugs must cope with new substances such as bath salts, one of many new designer drugs which reach the streets, so law enforcement technology must evolve as well
-
-
Thermal imaging proves useful for police
With the help of sophisticated new thermal imaging systems police officers around the United States have been able to apprehend criminals and locate car crash victims in perfect darkness without a hitch
-
-
Wireless underground robots for first responders
First responders may have to look for victims in hostile or challenging environments, such as clandestine tunnels, subway systems, and underground structures; sending a wireless robot to look around and pull victims out would be safer
-
-
Fort Wayne Mayor dissolves joint homeland security department
After six years of operation, the joint Fort Wayne-Allen County Homeland Security Department has been dissolved; last week Tom Henry, the Mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana sent a letter to county officials notifying them of the city’s plans to end its agreement to share in the costs of the local homeland security department
-
-
Foul odor-blocking for first responders
First responders often find themselves working under unpleasant circumstances in places; a California company is offering first responders relief from at least one of these unpleasant exposures: offensive odor
-
-
New missile defense developed for Royal Navy
As tension in and around the Persian Gulf and the Straits of Hormuz increase, the U.K. government has confirmed the development of a new Royal Navy missile defense system which will be able to intercept and destroy enemy missiles travelling at supersonic speeds
-
-
Customizable crime alert map helps Louisville residents stay safe
With the help of sophisticated online mapping tools, residents in Louisville, Kentucky can receive customized updates on crime that can be narrowed down to a particular beat
-
-
Smithsonian balances security and openness – is it safe?
Following the 9/11 attacks security officials worried that the Smithsonian Institution with its millions of visitors and stores of valuable national treasures would be an ideal target for terrorists, yet the institution has done little to bolster security
-
-
Running robots for hard-to-reach places
A large fraction of the Earth’s surface remains inaccessible to conventional wheeled or tracked vehicles, while animals and humans traverse such terrain with ease and elegance; scientists are working to develop search-and-rescue robots which emulate animal or human walking, thus making them more capable of saving people in hard-to-reach places
-
The long view
Why Ukraine’s AI Drones Aren’t a Breakthrough Yet
Machine vision, a form of AI, allows drones to identify and strike targets autonomously. The drones can’t be jammed, and they don’t need continuous monitoring by operators. Despite early hopes, the technology has not yet become a game-changing feature of Ukraine’s battlefield drones. But its time will come.